Mass Effect 3: The End of the Cycle
by Charlie Chatham
Summary: This is my take on the Mass Effect 3 ending, from the Citadel Control Room to a distant future over 1 billion years in the making.
1. Chapter 1: The Last

Mass Effect 3: The Last

I pressed the button on the console, but nothing happened. Hackett screamed for an update in my ear. I had nothing for him except painful grunts. The universe turned black.

"Shepard, wake up," said a child like voice.

"Where am I?" I asked.

A projection of some sort stood before me.

_It looked like the kid in Vancouver, the one playing with the fighter model, the one that died…._

"Shepard, wake up," it repeat.

"Who are you, what are you?"

"I am a remnant, a fraction," it said.

"I don't…" pain ripped away my strength, "I don't have time for games; show yourself, whatever you are."

The projection changed into an alien form, with large triple set of dark eyes, similar to the Keepers.

"I am The Last. There is little time, the Reapers know you are here," it said.

Hackett called over the radio, "The Reapers are disengaging the fleet and heading for the Citadel. Whatever you did has them spooked."

"Your Admiral is right. The Reapers are afraid, that's what motivates them," said the construct. Around us, Keepers worked on panels.

"What do you mean?"

"We were the first sentient life on the galaxy. We explored, we colonized we created. The Mass Relays are our legacy. But we could not conquer death. We set about uplifting new species so that they would take our place in the galaxy. But some of us chose another path, Singularity. They merged with machines to become something different, immortal. They went on their path while we continued ours. Peace lasted for centuries. We worked among the younger species preparing their path to ascension."

"What happen next?" I asked. After all this time, I had to know. There had to be reason behind all this death and destruction.

"Without warning, they attacked us. They knew our weaknesses, infiltrated our defenses, and turned us against each…othe…"

"What's wrong?"

"They are hacking the Citadel systems. We…have…time. I am the Last. The cycle started with us. They used us, our technology and our knowledge to set up the trap for every new generation. They need you, for they are stale. Perfection comes at a price no evolution…technology…science…reproduction…a parasite on the galaxy," said the projection.

A new image appeared, Harbinger.

"Shepard, we know what you doing. The Catalyst will not work. Even know we come for you. Surrender you essence to us. We will uplift you, we will preserve you for all time," said Harbinger.

"Do not listen…of our all children you have…the farthest…we hid…the Citadel systems…dispersed…We knew…Reapers would discover us…helped the Protheans…change Keepers…activate waveform…."

"It can not help you Shepard. It is a memory, an illusion. We are the vanguard of your existence. Billions of voices united in thought. We are Order. We are Life."

A panel glowed before me. I dragged myself a few more steps. The Citadel shuddered under my feet.

"Remember us…" said a disembodied voice. "Remember those who came before…make…sacrifice…worth…"

"Silence!" screamed Harbinger.

I looked at it, "I told you we would find a way." I pressed the button. "Go to hell!"

A bright light engulfed me and then I fell in the embrace of my old friend, darkness.

* * *

A massive pulse of energy erupted from the Citadel. The waveform crashed against the approaching Reapers. Great electric storms arced across the surface of each machine. Then they drifted along their vectors. On board _SSV Kilimanjaro, _Admiral Hackett ordered a status report_._

His sensor officer replied, "Minimal heat signatures from the enemy. Kinetic barriers down."

"All ships, this is Admiral Hackett, target the nearest Reaper and hit it with everything we got!" said Hackett over the fleet comm.

The combined firepower tore apart the nearest target. Then it shifted to a second and then a third as more survivors joined the fray. The Reapers stirred, but without their barriers they were easy prey for the allied fleet. One made a run at the _Destiny Ascension_, only to be ripped to shreds by a massive broadside from _Kwunu_'s Thanix Magnetic-Hydrodynamic cannon_s. _

The surviving Reapers jumped toward the Charon relay.

But the relay lay cold.

The fleet followed and now had perfect alignment to fire at the Reapers vulnerable underbellies. The last of the invaders fell to the three well aimed shots from the _Destiny Ascension_ and her sister's ships, _Pride of the Matriarchy_ and _Dawn of the Republics_. As the three slugs detonated the enemies mass effect core the _Ascension_'s commander yelled over the comm, "That's for Thessia you cybernetic sons of bitches!"

The Battle of Earth was over.

The battle to retake the galaxy had just begun.


	2. Chapter 2: Aftermath

Three weeks after the Battle of Earth.

Faint voices broke through the darkness.

"Liara, he is awake," said one. The last time I heard that voice I come back from the dead.

_Had she brought me back again?_

Someone squeezed my hand. Warmth tingled through the fingertips.

"It's alright Shepard, I'm here, just go back sleep."

"Liaraaa..."

Moments later my eyes snapped open. It took a second for the world to come into focus. Liara hummed a song as she arranged a bouquet of flowers to my right.

"Good morning!" she said. She bent down and kissed my forehead. "You had us worried for a bit there. Miranda went to talk to the doctor on watch."

"Miranda? Why is she here?" an uncontrollable coughing fit wracked my chest. Liara pressed a cup of water to my lips. After a few gulps my throat cleared. "Where's she? And why are you calling her Miranda and not Ms. Lawson?"

Liara sat at the edge of the bed, "Well, when C-Sec found you they nearly gave up on you. It was touch and go in Huerta Memorial before they transferred you to Earth."

"Where on Earth are we?" I asked. Bright sunlight came through the large window, but I was no position to the see world beyond.

"They call this place Kent, I think. Kent, England. It's a prefab hospital, like most everything on Earth these days. When the evacuated the Citadel the transferred a lot people here, including the medical staff of Huerta Memorial," she said. Her hand now rested on my calf, her blue eyes locked on me.

"And Miranda?"

"She knew more about what Cerberus did to you than anyone else. The doctors tell me that they had to replace most of the cybernetics. They kept you alive long enough but without the surgery they would fail and..." her voice trailed off. "I guess you're no longer a human super soldier, just an above average Marine," she said with a tiny freckled smile.

I pulled myself up on the bed, "Doesn't explain the change of name."

"We talked. A lot. She is a remarkable woman, Shepard. I owe her a lot," she said. She turned her head toward window.

"I owe her my life, twice over. Listen Liara, you have nothing about, okay?"

"Me? Worry? Of course not. I know you Shepard. I believed in you and you proved me right every single time. No woman can ask for anything more," she said, her eyes wet with tears. "I also talked with dad; I mean Matriarch Aethyta, and your mother. It was a very long talk."

The moment she mentioned my mother, I knew something was up, "Let's here it."

The door opened. Joker came in holding a styro foam box with EDI right behind him.

"Hey Captain, nice to see you're up. Here I brought you breakfast!" he shoved the box into my hands.

"I do not think that hamburgers are a proper breakfast menu item, Jeff," said EDI

"Come on, he save the galaxy at least three times in the last three years. He deserves at least one burger. By the way, that's not vat grown. One hundred percent real cow!" he said with a wide smile. Liara made a face.

I bit into the burger and it burned my tongue in the process. But it was too good to pass up.

"What...this... about...Captain?" I asked him between mouthfuls. Liara rolled her eyes at my table manners.

"Oh, Liara didn't you tell you? You got promoted and you got your second Star of Terra. If it were up to me, they would give you at least two more but then they might go to your head or something, Captain. You probably will hang it along side your Nova Cluster, Palladium Star and Silver Dagger, you know for the kids," he said.

"Jeff!" said EDI.

"What? Wait you didn't," he said to Liara, then turned his head to me, "She didn't, oh..."

Liara shook her head.

"Tell me what?"

The doors opened again, Admiral Hackett came in. Joker and I snapped a salute.

"At ease gentlemen," he said. He pulled up a chair beside the bed, "How are you son?"

A memory flashed by my mind. I sat beside Anderson, watching the glittering arms of the Citadel as we waited for the Catalyst to activate. As we waited for death.

_You did good son. You did good. I'm proud..._

I felt hollow, empty. I should have died then and there. Miranda might have saved my life, but Anderson, well I owed him everything.

"Captain," said Hackett. His words snapped me back to the present. "I'm glad you're alright. You gave us quite a scare."

"I take it we won, right?" I asked.

"Here, yes. We turned the tide. The Catalyst stripped the Reapers of their kinetic barriers, which gave us a shot at them. And recapturing the Citadel means we have complete control of the relay network. For the time being, the rest of Reaper forces are stranded in whatever cluster they were in at the time of the shutdown. We evacuated the bulk of the people aboard the Citadel with the help of the Migrant fleet and set up shop in the Omega system. We figured that they might try to use the one relay not under Citadel control to escape, but so far they haven't managed to get through," he said. There was weight on each word he uttered. Each thought was a burden he carried with him. He shared the weight, but he could shed it. Something I knew too well.

"The fleet took heavy losses, even with the advantage of the Catalyst; each Reaper has the firepower of Dreadnought squadron. That and political ramifications of the Reaper attacks are making things difficult," he said.

"How so?," I asked.

"Most of the Asari military is still with us, but with the revelation of what was in that temple, the Asari has fallen into low level civil war. Not much overt fighting, but considering what the Reapers did to Thessia, it certainly doesn't help. The STG launched a quite coup against the ruling Dalatrass. Mordin sacrifice on Tuchanka energized them," he said.

"What about the Reapers?"

"Most went to ground. They are using indoctrinated forces as meat shields. They even have former Cerberus operative built ships for them and then sent them on suicide runs against us. To tell you truth, even with the combine might of all the Citadel races this thing is going to take awhile. We are working hard to replicate the Crucible, using the Citadel as a weapons platform is too unwieldy and there always a risk that it might fall back into Reaper hands," he said.

"So we are doing to them what they have done to every species before us," I said. There was a satisfying irony to that, yet the fact that there were still billions under Reaper threat cut the satisfaction short.

"Indeed. My biggest problem is keeping the new coalition going. Almost every major race has had their home worlds decimated and each demands we liberate their first. Even with the Cerberus data on countering the husks, dealing with millions of indoctrinated units backed up by fleets of cruisers and the odd Reaper won't be easy," he said.

"I'll try to get back to my duties as soon possible, sir," I said.

"Glad to hear, but..." he glanced at Liara, "I'm afraid your duties have changed. You are symbol now, Shepard and we can't afford to lose you again," he said.

"Admiral, my place is on the front lines. I'm not about to let someone else take a bullet for me," I said.

Hackett put a hand on my shoulder, "You'll have to. You did the impossible, more than once. And it has cost us. Anderson is dead, and the Alliance leadership is in tatters. If we lose you, the coalition of Citadel races will fall apart and the Reapers might counter attack. We cornered them, and that makes even more dangerous," he said. "Just take your time, Shepard. I'll have plenty for you do to do, soon enough."

Jeff snapped another salute as Hackett left. EDI pulled gently on Joker's elbow and they followed Hackett out.

"So the war is not over," I said with a long sigh. I sank back into the bed.

_All those lives lost and for what?_

"You didn't think it was going to be that easy," she said. She took my hand and put it on her belly, "Besides, Hannah is going to need her father around for at least her first century or so."

"Now that is the silver lining I was hoping for," I said.

The silver lining that made it all worth it.


	3. Chapter 3: Memories

One hundred solar years after the Battle of Earth

-

Dr. Liara T'Soni, archaeologist, information broker, and mother of three ran her across the top of the railing. This had been center of the fight against the Reapers. Once a dozen Alliance personnel collected data, updated reports and watched as the Reapers tore into the galaxy. Most of the holographic displays were off. Only the one in the center displayed an abbreviated history of the war. A history already shaped by the social and political needs of those who came after. Everything she touched brought back memories of those who worked and fought for the survival of galactic civilization. She took the elevator to engineering. Before her the last crew of the Normandy boarded a one of the shuttles. Each one glanced at the flag draped coffin as they filed past, all of them to young to remember the spirit that once inhabited that body.

_What? I'm not on any body's side._

How wrong she was. From the moment she saw him, she knew she wanted to be by his side although she was loathed to admit it then. She went into engineering. It was more cramped than the SR1, and reminder that this ship, for all his history, was a copy.

_Your ship is amazing Shepard!_

He might have missed it, but even Liara, who preferred Prothean artifacts over people, caught her excitement in her voice, and not simply about the Normandy. She went back to the elevator. The doors opened on the second level. Two dark plaques stood before her. Her eyes wondered up to the upper right corner: Alenko, Kaidan.

_Virmire._

After that everything was a blur, even her first night with her husband. The thought brought a smile to her face. He comforted her in the worst of moments; before Illos, before the Omega Relay and before the Battle of Earth. Every time the universe threatened to pull them apart, they managed, somehow, to come back together if only for moment. How many hours did she spend on Miranda's former office? After the war Miranda joined her sister relocating the homeless masses in new colony worlds. The Lawson sisters had a knack for putting back together the lives others had shattered. She once asked Shepard about her. He admitted that Miranda was a formidable woman. Someone he respected.

_Is that it?_

He said not to worry. He was a one Asari man. She continued her tour of the ship. The med bay still had a faint smell of antiseptic. So many names attached to this place: Dr. Chakwas, Legion, Mordin, Eve. So many lives saved in this tiny space a fact as true for the med bay as for every millimeter of the Normandy. The doors opened behind her.

"The last shuttle is ready, Dr. T'Soni," said an Asari in Alliance uniform.

"Don't Doctor me, Hannah. I'm still your mother," said Liara. She tucked at the hem of her daughters jacket. Hannah wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and the Alliance agreed that any Asari with a human parent could serve in the human military. "I'll be there in a minute, okay?"

"Okay."

She saw her depart for the shuttle bay. She was as much a warrior as her father. Benny, the middle child, was a wild spirit that preferred singing over rifles. Miri was more serious, spiritual even, but had her grandfather's quirky sense of humor.

Her final stop was the the CIC. She avoided the Captain's cabin. She knew that if she went there, a part of her would never return. It contained too many memories. She stepped in front of the galaxy map. The holographic display came to life. The war had not ended on Earth. Instead galactic civilization shuddered as it fought off the Reapers infection. Thousands of them went to ground leaving in their place millions of indoctrinated to continue their war of extermination. Then the Yahg entered the fray. It didn't take long for her to ferret out the truth behind this new enemy: the Reapers. A handful of them took refuge on Parnack and through indoctrinated agents uplifted them into space faring race. In turn, the Yahg used vat grown Vorcha as shock troops. A decade's long war spread through the galaxy. To add fuel to the fire, the pirate clans of the Terminus systems went on massive raids deep into Citadel space motivated by witch's brew of Batarian/Hanar apocalyptic prophecies. Had it not been Grunt's leadership of the Krogan the weaken Council races would fallen.

_Wars never end, do they?_

She knew better. Only the Krogan could bring the Yagh to the negotiating table by threatening to terra form their home world one massive comet at a time. After that the Council welcomed the Krogan into the fold, along side the Quarians, Hanar, Elcor and Volus. The Geth were invited, but they chose to be represented by the Quarians instead.

On the bridge EDI adjusted Joker's uniform. It was hard to recognize him under the white beard.

"Ready to go Joker," she asked.

"Well..."

"Please, don't tell me you're staying, Jeff," she turned to EDI.

"It's what we both want. Our daughters, for a lack of a better term, have our collective memories and are serving the galactic community as best they can," said EDI.

Joker shrugged, "I'm so proud of my girls. One is running Citadel, the other one is teaching at the Biomechanical College on Rannoch. Who knew we could copy EDI's code and beget children that way with the Council's permission?"

"Of course," said Liara.

Liara fled the deck as quickly as her dignity allowed. She fought back the tears as she boarded the last shuttle. A part of her wanted to stay, but seeing the Alliance flag on Hannah's lap steeled her resolve. The shuttle bay doors opened. The glare of Sol's fusion fires bathed the bay in bright light.

-

"Shuttle cleared the hangar. Mass effect core at 110%," said EDI beside Joker. "You can still leave if you want, Jeff."

"No. I lived too long and this is the only I've ever been good that," he said. "Besides, he was my captain and I was his pilot. I failed him once, I won't do it again."

EDI nodded. Joker's gnarled hand trembled over the FTL activation button. EDI covered it with hers. Jeff "Joker" Moreau switched the audio from his ear piece to the ship wide comm.

"It has been honor, Jeff" she said.

"My pleasure, EDI" he replied.

The SSV Normandy, nose pointed at Sol, made her last jump into the light.


	4. Chapter 4: A New Cycle

41,000 solar years after the Battle of Earth.

-

"Atmosphere content checked. No hazardous biological entities detected. The air is breathable," said one of the figures as it walked down the gangplank from the ship's airlock. It took off its helmet to reveal an oval face, with four large frills, two that extended from the cheeks, the other pair atop the head that ended in multicolored cilia. A membrane over their compound eyes turned dark when exposed to the bright light of the bay.

At the end of the bay a door opened. The visitors drew their weapons and pointed them at the elevator.

"Kallil, is that a _Shepard_?" asked the one with the pink-red complexion.

"It can't be!" said Kalill, who had a darker bluish complexion.

"Welcome to the Citadel," said the figured that stepped out of the elevator flanked by two green tinged aliens with large dark eyes.

The speaker was a biped and was nearly a meter taller than Kallil and his companion, while the others two were quadruped with two pairs of arms to match.

"A _Shepard_ speaks our language, how is that possible?" said Kallil.

"A _Shepard_?" asked the biped. "One moment, please. I see. I believe you are mistaken. We are not 'a_ Shepard_'. Commander Shepard was a human -"

"A heuuman?" interrupted Larimax. "None of the artifacts we discovered makes mention of 'heuumans', only of _Shepards_."

"It seems we were mistaken, Lari. We assumed that the race was named after The Shepard. An easy mistake to make considering the scant data we have on Those That Came Before," said Kalill.

"Yes. Humanity was the race on which this platform was modeled after. Commander Shepard was a military leader among the humans who then led a successful defense against those you called the Destroyers," said Eda

"Platform? So you are not an organic? The Shep, I mean the heumans, created true artificial intelligence in their image," said Kallil. Its cilia shimmered with each syllable.

"And The Shepard vanquished the Destroyers. It explains why it is here after so many eons, but how does it know our language?" asked Larimax.

"I have monitored your language, as the Citadel has monitored your race for some time. We prepared for your arrival. My apologies if I startled you. I thought it best to introduce myself as early as possible. Come, there is much to see. You may keep your weapons if you wish, although I hope you will not feel the need to use them," said Eda.

Kallil and Larimax holstered their weapons and followed Eda.

"The Citadel has been the heart of every galactic civilization since the first," explained Eda as she led the newcomers through a tour of Citadel.

"Those that fell to the Destroyers, correct?" asked Larimax.

"In our cycle we knew them as Reapers, an ancient cybernetic race of massive power that preyed on galactic civilizations every fifty-thousand years," said Eda.

"But The Shepard vanquished them, did he not?" said Larimax. As it spoke its frills flapped in unison with the change of color of the cilia with each syllable.

"He lead a coalition of races that defeated the Destroyers," said Eda. "This is the Presidium, the heart of the Citadel."

A beeping sound came from Kalill's backpack. It extracted a small black box.

"I see you found one of the archives, and it appears to be intact," said Eda. She extended her arms, "May I?"

Kallil and Larimax exchanged a look, their cilia quivering for a moment. Then Kallil handed the box to Eda.

"Thank you. One moment, please. Update complete," said Eda.

A blue beam emerged from the box. A series of symbols appeared and changed. The cilia on Kallil and Larimax frills shifted into a rainbow pattern as they read allowed the messages, now translated into their language.

"I'm afraid that the information is incomplete, although fifty-eight percent of data remains intact. I will do what I can to fill in the blanks, but, I do not mean any disrespect, the sheer volume of data involve will require more than two individuals to process," said Eda.

"Oh, of course," said Kalill. It pressed a button on its collar, "We have made contact with friendly synthetic construct. Disembark science team one."

Over several micro-cycles, the crew of the alien ship set up instruments and started exploring the Citadel, assisted by holographic representations of Eda and dozens of Keepers. Several more ships arrived in the next macro-cycle filled with scientist, technicians and military officers. The last ship brought the First Leader to the Citadel.

Her hunched back ached under the strain of a long life a life close to its inevitable end. But like so many before her, she had dreamed of one day standing on the Citadel, the home of Those That Came Before.

"Welcome to the Citadel, First Leader. Do you speak for your people?" asked Eda.

"As the legal representative of the Avar, I carry the weight of their voices," replied the First Leader.

"May their clarity never waiver. Please come this way," said Eda.

Eda guided the First Leader to the Citadel Tower. "In our cycle this place was called the Council Chambers. Here leaders from every major race of the galaxy conferred on matters of galactic importance. Trillions of lives depended on the decisions made here."

Eva pointed to a row of pedestals arranged in a semicircle at the end of the Chamber. As the First Leader stood in the platform each pedestal came to life. An image of each of the races that made up the Council appeared.

The cilia on the First Leader frills glowed bright silver, "Are these Those Who Came Before?"

"Yes. These races once made up the Council and they have a message for you and your people, First Leader," said Eva.

Another image appeared of The Shepard, First Leader of the Humans, "We wish for you to learn from our triumphs and our mistakes. We were many voices, often in conflict but united in need. Let the voices speak," said The Shepard.

The Salarian image spoke first, "Curiosity."

Then the Turian, "Honor."

Asari, "Humility."

Krogan, "Sacrifice."

Hanar, "Faith."

Elcor, "Patience."

Quarian, "Understanding."

Rachni, "Peace."

The Shepard spoke last, "Hope. The voices spoke to each other. We were strong together, and weak alone. Our time has passed, your time has come."

The First Leader eyes moistened, "We accept the Words of Those Who Came Before in the spirit in which they are given. We pray we are worthy of them."

-

A kilometer long cleft opened on the ice on a moon orbiting a gas giant. A gigantic claw broke through the surface. Red energy beams evaporated thousands of tons of ice. An enormous form emerged from the depths.

WE ARE TIME HAS COME.


End file.
